Jumat, 22 April 2011

Kinect of Xbox system allows gamers to operate their televisions by moving their body, but can never hang with the general public.Frommer: I am impressed by what is available on Xbox 360, motion detection Kinect interfaceBut account of the history of Microsoft to failures in TV, the chances of succeeding them at is not video greatFor Xbox and Kinect to be really hugeThey must be everywhere, like Windows

(CNN) - while the image quality on your TV has evolved over the years, the way you interact with your TV is still blocked in the stone age. That is, the remote control and canal guide still need some innovation serious.

That is why we are so impressed by the growing selection of online video which is available on its interface Kinect motion detection and Xbox 360 from Microsoft.

Kinect could very well represent the future of the people how to watch television: compression of a channel to a channel (or app in the app) without a remote control, using their hands and their voice to control the experience.

But given the history of Microsoft to chess - in the television industry and the overall slowness, disorder and the complexity of the business of TV - the chances of being widely adopted Microsoft System are not large.

First, we will focus on why it's cool.

The idea of being able to complete table of commands remotely ditches and just use your hands and your voice to interact with the TV is convincing. It is much better than QWERTY keyboards, which are a very bad idea in the living room. It is also preferable to Wii-like remote controls, or even using an iPad or smartphone your TV remote, a feature of cable operators are increasingly rolling out.

Microsoft seems way ahead with the Kinect, and we are really surprised that Apple, which has been pasting a camera in all its computers for some time now - is not the one who paved the way here. The Apple TV gadget must be fed by hand gestures and voice controls, not an idiot little remote control.

Perhaps they save for their TVs often rumor? And where is FaceTime for TV? And all these other applications Apple TV we want to use?

If this is good news for Microsoft that Kinect, and all quality on the Xbox 360 entertainment applications, are looking more and more like the future of the living room. Already, some 40% of the time spent on the Xbox 360 is spent on non-gaming experiences, including ESPN, Netflix, Facebook, etc.

And it is that Microsoft is the owner of the intellectual property, including through the acquisition of Canesta, who filed more than 50 patents.

But it is difficult to imagine how Microsoft could come to dominate the TV company. For video Xbox and Kinect to really make a huge mark, they will have to be everywhere, the Windows of way for the PC industry.

But this is not as everyone will buy an Xbox 360 and Kinect. While Microsoft has sold more than 50 million Xbox years already, and more than 10 million Kinect sensors, it is not practical to assume that everyone is going to buy one - they are still too focused on the game and too expensive to be in each room.

So, what are the options of Microsoft?

An idea: he could slap together a gadget "xbox TV" to compete with the Apple TV, which includes only apps for entertainment for the Xbox and Kinect interface and no DVD player. But it is difficult to convince people they need something like that, and there was only so inputs on a TV. This is not work magic for Apple and would probably not for Microsoft, either.

Microsoft could try to make actual Xbox hi-def TVs and hope to disrupt the holders of the TV industry, which is what we ultimately expect Apple to do. This is perhaps the best chance for Microsoft to make a quality really, truly integrated system.

But people do not often buy TVs, and it would be a slow way for Microsoft to gobble market share. In addition, it would be a logistical nightmare.

As alternative, it could Xbox TV and Kinect software for makers of TV, Blu - ray set-top boxes and cable license and go to the model of "Windows", in competition with Google TV. It could perhaps to team up with Facebook for it and do something social and awesome. Or in partnership with a company like Comcast or AT & T cable television. But this would mean to give up control and could go very slowly.

If each of them is somewhat possible, we do not see Microsoft rushing to do any of them.

It seems that the company is linked too much to the income of substantial game of Xbox to detach the tips for Xbox TV as a separate product - even if there is a large population of non-gamers who probably have no interest to buy an Xbox. And it seems that Microsoft does compete Windows, even in the living room.

Instead, see us Microsoft more or less leaving the Xbox 360 intact and try to resolve the living room (again) with a kind of Windows embedded - which could not necessarily cool Xbox or controller Kinect entertainment apps. And, as other TV projects of Microsoft to date, will no doubt slow time capture.

Although the Xbox Kinect are really cool and could in fact be compelling TV experience, we are still skeptical that Microsoft can really take advantage of their.